Honey production in Uruguay occurs mainly during spring and summer. However, on the East coast beekeepers can extend their production into autumn and winter. To analyze this situation we chose an apiary located at the mentioned area where population parameters were recorded during a year. Nectar and pollen loads samples were also analyzed to determine their botanical origin. Over the sampling period, the colonies had high population sizes. Eucalyptus spp. pollen was dominant in most nectar and pollen samples. Other relevant species were Baccharis spp. Trifolium repens, Acacia longifolia, Lotus sp. y Eryngium spp.

In order to study how sexual selection takes place during mating, it is necessary to have a clear knowledge of the interactions that occur throughout mating and which morphological and behavioral traits are involved. Available information about harvestman reproductive biology is mainly restricted to anecdotal field observations, most of them lacking a detailed description and quantification of mating behavior. In this paper, we study the reproductive behavior of the gonyleptid Pachyloides thorellii Holmberg, 1878 (Pachylinae) and provide quantitative and descriptive information about its sexual behavior. We observed 15 matings, measured females and males, and analysed our behavioral data in the context of individuals' sizes. We observed conspicuous pre-copulatory, copulatory and post-copulatory courtship. We also found that females have several strategies to reject males' mating attempts. Like most gonyleptids, males and females of P. thorellii mate in face-to-face position; however, we observed that both male and female clasp their chelicerae mutually. This behavior has not previously been reported for the suborder Laniatores. The information obtained through this study establishes the basis for further studies on this species' reproductive biology and supports the suitability of this species as a model to explore the importance of male copulatory courtship for female choice and sperm use.

Chalkbrood disease affects the larvae of honeybees Apis mellifera L. and is caused by the fungus Ascosphaera apis. Infected larvae die when they are stretched in the cap cell and suffer a gradual hardening that ends in a very hard structure (mummie). Several studies have demonstrated that colonies that express an efficient hygienic behaviour (uncapping of cell and subsequent removal of dead brood) exhibit a higher resistance to the disease. However, it remains unclear whether the advantage of hygienic colonies over less hygienic ones lies in the ability to remove mummies or in the early detection of infected larvae and its cannibalization before they harden. To elucidate this aspect, the hygienic behaviour of 24 colonies, which were subsequently provided with pollen cakes containig A. apis, was evaluated. The number of mummies and the number of partially cannibalized and whole larvae in uncapped cells were recorded. The most hygienic colonies controlled the disease better. These colonies also had a higher tendency to uncap cells that contained infected larvae and cannibalize them. The presence of A. apis in partially cannibalized and whole larvae in uncapped cells indicate that the advantage of hygienic colonies over less hygienic ones lies in the early detection of infected larvae death and their quick removal from the cell before they become mummies.